Eve Robillard

Eve Robillard

BIO:A former children's librarian who writes for both children and adults, her work has appeared in The Madison Review, The Montserrat Review, Chicago's Midway Review, Great River Review, Wisconsin Academy Review, and other journals and magazines. She has two chapbooks of poetry. She spends her time writing, reading, splashing around with watercolors and drifting from coffeehouse to coffeehouse in the Madison area. Although now that she's given up coffee, perhaps she should say teahouse to teahouse? Garrison Keillor has twice read poetry of hers on his WPR Program The Writer's Almanac. Some of her favorite writers include Billy Collins, Nancy Willard, E. B. White—and, oh yes, Arnold Lobel.

Poetry

I Am Still Waiting

For James Mason to come to me,biting his pipe and taking me in his arms,comforting me with that wonderful voice of his,assuring me my evil stepmother will never beat me again,and the awful headmaster will never have his way with me. I amstill waiting for Shane to return to the boy calling his namethrough the echoing hills, still waiting for Dorothy's Someday,for Scarlett's perfect tomorrow. Though anyone with eyescan see that Scarlettt doesn't have a clue, will neverhave a clue, no matter how many sequels she gets.And Dorothy's stuck in Kansas, and the boy calls and calls.I awake in the morning, not next to James Mason,but with you—warm and golden and real as thesunshine. And mine. Almost definitely mine.

From everything happens twice (Fireweed Press, 2002)

Lesson, with Questions

You (in your very good English)are explaining to mehow Matisse did notpaint things—he paintedthe relationshipbetween them. Youpoint outto methe geranium in its potthe goldfish in its bowl(your hands quick now, light—as if youwere holding your own invisible brush)and the way apples on a tablemirror the woman's breasts thenI say to you (in my very badFrench) I like this one, I likehow the woman stands at the windowthe book lying open that waythe sky so wideso impossibly blue.